The juvenile earthworm eats a hole in the encapsulation material in order to crawl out. It is not necessary for the encapsulation material to dissolve in order for the earthworm to emerge from its cocoon.

No permit needed to ship VermiPods to Canada.

In 1991, the University of Illinois came to our farm to preformed research to see how many earthworms it would actually take to grow corps without the use of fertilizers. It was during this time that I began to develop the idea of planting earthworm cocoons (eggs) at the same time as the crop was being planted. This idea produced my first Patent on July 7, 1992, on one type of encapsulation method; US Patent 5,127,186. This particular method of encapsulation was not economically viable because of the high cost.* It was not until December 28, 2004, when I received my second Patent, US 6,834,614, “Method and Apparatus for Encapsulating, Implanting, and Reducing the Mortality Rate in Earthworm Cocoons” that it became economically feasible. I called these encapsulated cocoons VermiPods™. Now for the very first time, earthworm cocoons could be planted like ordinary seed, which was previously biologically impossible. (pictures 1 and 2) My third patent US 7,478,604 was issued on January 20, 2009. A process and apparatus improves the fertility of soil, helps detoxify hazardous chemicals in the soil, and reduces erosion of the soil. The system provides implantation apparatus for injecting earthworm cocoons in the soil. (pictures 3 and 4)

Research at the Kreitzer Farm.

References and Notes

1. Soil Measurement Systems

2. Number one killer of earthworms is a fast freeze.

University of Illinois Grad Students doing research on the Kreitzer Farm using Soil Tension Infiltrometers.

Tension infiltrometers are designed to measure the unsaturated hydraulic properties of soils. Water is allowed to infiltrate soil at a rate, which is slower than when water is ponded on the soil surface. This is accomplished by maintaining a small negative pressure on the water as it moves out of the infiltrometer disc into the soil. (1)

This tool allows us to show the land owner the amount of macopores that they have currently. We then plant VermiPods at that very spot. Come back one year later and preform this experiment again in the same place. Since we all want to see what a product will do before we buy it, this is positive proof of why you should be buying VermiPods. The results are always impressive if the earthworms were not killed over the Winter. (2)

During one of the droughts we had, my field with million of earthworms produced 129 bushels of corn. My neighbor that year only produced 89. Soils with earthworm macopores will hold mosture where soils without do not.